阅读理解

ManyyearsagoManhattanIslandwhichisapartofthegreatcityofNewYorkwascoveredwithforest.AlongtheshoreweresmallIndianvillages.InfactIndiansweretheonlypeopleoftheislanduntil1609.InthespringofthatyearHenryHudsonafamousseacaptainarrivedhere.HewastryingtofindashortwaytotheFarEastforDutchtraders.Hisshipwasverysmall.Itwasonlyaboutthesizeofoneofthelifeboatsyouseeonthemodernoceanship.OfcourseHenryHudsondidnotfindashorterwaytotheFarEast.InsteadhereachedtheshoreofNorthAmerica.Hecametothemouthofthelargewaterway－theHudsonRiver.

AshecameneartotheshorehesawtheIndianvillages.TheIndiansseemedfriendly.TheyevencameouttomeettheshipandofferedtheirfurstotheDutchsailorforglassbeads(玻璃珠)andothersmallthings.Certainlyfursaremorevaluablethanglassbeadsandsmallthings.

Indiansthenhadnoneedofanymoney.Theymadesmallbeadsoutofcalmshells.Theseshellbeadswerethemostvaluabletothem.Theywereusedfordecoratingtheirclothing.SotheIndiansweregladtoreceivetheglassbeadsandsomesmallthings.Theywereveryusefultothem.WhenHenryHudsonreturnedtoHollandheshowedthefinefurs.Hetoldoftherichsoilthestreamsfilledwithanimals.NowDutchtradersbegantosendmanyshipstotherichnewworldacrossthesea.

In1623theDutchtooktheislandasacolony.Threeyearslatertheysenttheirfirstgovernortothecolony.ThegovernorthoughtitbestifheboughtthelandfromtheIndians.HemetwiththeIndiansandsmokethepipeofpeace.TheIndiansthoughtifthewhitemenwantedtogivethemprettyglassbeadsbrightlycolouredclothandsharpsteelknivestheymightaswellacceptthegifts.Thosebeadsandotherthingswouldbeworthabouttwenty-fourdollarsifyouboughtthemtoday.

1．ThesettlersboughtManhattanIslandfromtheIndiansforonly$24because________.

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A．theIndianswereunabletodrivethesettlersawayfromtheland

B．thesettlerswishedtobehonesttotradewithIndians

C．in1609theislandwasofverylittlevalueeithertotheIndiansortotheDutch

D．thesettlerswishedtobeabletosaythattheyhadnotseizedtheland

2．Themainaimofthispassageisto________.